Police constable Tahir Khan, who recently received doctorate in
biotechnology, has become the talk of the town. Talking to journalists
he said when he was recruited as police officer, his family was not
doing well financially but he did not let his circumstances discourage
him. Despite hardship and adverse circumstances, he kept going. Even
though it took him ten years, he eventually completed his Ph.D. During
his interview, he said he has neither purchased clothes nor shoes in the
last ten years. What makes his achievement noteworthy is that the guy
is employed at a position that requires mere matriculation.
Our country needs more Tahir Khans. I believe every police officer
should be educated to at least a degree. The educational requirement for
an individual to be recruited as constable is mere matric. Raising the
educational requirement can go a long way in civilizing uncouth
Pakistani police which is notorious for its highhanded tactics against
citizens. Unnecessary violence and misbehavior with citizens is rampant.
This can be easily corroborated by statistical data and news clippings
from the past few years. The actual rate, however, could be much higher
because cases of abuse at hands of belligerent law enforcers are seldom
reported.
Evidence from a study conducted by Dr. William Terrill suggests that
formal education lessens the likelihood that police officers will use
force to elicit compliance from citizens. The study asserts that police
officers with higher education tend to use reasoning, creativity, and
problem solving skills of a higher order to tackle problems. They do not
see any value in resorting to manipulation and misbehavior.
Despite glaring evidence that education can improve conduct of police
officers, legislators in Pakistan are slow at incorporating better
educational standards into the police profession. Globally speaking, law
enforcement agencies that introduced higher education as a
pre-requisite for entering the profession, saw increased
professionalism, reduction in moral turpitude, better problem solving,
and more stable community relations.
Educated police officers are more proficient with information
technology. They are better at managing budgets. They have a better
understanding of SOPs of the police department. They are less likely to
be subjected to disciplinary actions and internal investigations. They
have a higher predisposition towards innovative thinking. They have
better report writing skills because they know how to articulate
thoughts. They take criticism better than their less educated
counterparts. They have wider array of career opportunities outside the
police department which comes handy when they retire or leave police
department. But most importantly they are less likely to use force
against unarmed and defenseless citizens.
Reforms won't be easy. It is going to take a pint of planning, some
commitment, and a lot of sacrifice for current police officers to go
back to school. Going for classes can be tough when police officers are
working rotating shifts, attending trainings, and making appearances in
courts. But with online schools like Virtual University of Pakistan and
Allama Iqbal Open University, police officers can now study at their own
pace. Distance learning will allow them to work around their schedule.
While I'm not saying that academic education is a substitute for
street experience, I do believe educated police officers will be an
asset to their department and the society at large. To top off academic
education, there should be mandatory on-job workshops that cover law,
advanced firearms, and combat training. Once equipped with both, hard
and soft skills, police officers are likely to make better decisions
when thrown into demanding situations. They will approach suspects with
discretion and tolerance. They will be polite with the public and
patient when confronting resistance.
The landscape is changing. Law enforcement in Pakistan has seen
dramatic shifts over the years. With the advent of technology, computing
skills are now a must. Understanding forensic science, which plays an
important role in production of evidence in courts, is important.
Moreover, a police officer with the knowledge of computer science is
better equipped to fight cybercrime.
When asked what he thinks about ramping up the educational
requirements for police officers, a police officer said he welcomes the
idea but there should be a commensurate rise in wages. He said better
incentives will be required to attract more educated people. He said
police wages fall short of being competitive and perks are not as
lucrative as they used to be.
